Making Appropriate Referrals

If the Student directly discloses a disability:

Any student who directly discloses that they have a disability and are requesting accommodations/academic adjustments should be referred to the Center for Disability Resources (CDR). Even if the initial conversation with the student is in person, it is strongly encouraged that the verbal referral be followed up with an email sent to the student providing them with the contact information for CDR. A sample referral email template is available for download below.

If the Student does NOT directly disclose a disability:

Students at any university may struggle academically for a number of reasons and can, therefore, benefit from the services offered by a variety of on-campus offices. If a student who has not disclosed that they have a disability is struggling and you feel they may benefit from services offered through CDR, we suggest a conversation as follows:

Ask the student if they are connected to any offices at Delaware State University. If they are not or are unsure, provide them information for the variety of resources available for students at DSU: the Tutorial Center, Departmental Tutoring, Qualitative Reasoning Center (math tutoring), Financial Aid, Counseling Services, Center for Disability Resources, Career Services, Writing Center, Academic Advisor, Student Organizations, Campus Ministries, etc.

This allows the student to seek services if they choose while maintaining their confidentiality. It also allows Faculty and Administrators to provide assistance without treating the student differently or making assumptions about what may be causing them to struggle. A sample general resources email template is available for download below.

Please note: It is not appropriate to ask a student whether or not they have a disability.